System and method for use in billing for group benefit insurance

Abstract

A computer system for use in connection with employee benefits furnished via an insurance provider has a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The processor is adapted to receive input data indicative of a customer identification, a term, one or more types of coverage, a premium amount for the customer for the term and the one or more types of coverage, and one or more conditions relating to premium amount; store the received input data in memory; based on the received input data, generate a bill to the customer, the bill including customer name and address, the premium amount, the term, and the one or more types of coverage; receive a signal having data indicative of a change related to coverage; determine whether the change triggers a change in premium; and if the data is indicative of a change in premium, provide an output signal indicative of a premium change.

1 . A computer system for use in connection with administration of employer-paid employee benefit insurance products; comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory in communication with the processor;   the processor adapted to:   receive input data indicative of a customer identification, a term, one or more types of coverage, a premium amount for the customer for the term and the one or more types of coverage, and one or more thresholds including at least number of employees;   store the received input data in memory;   based on the received input data, generate a bill for printing and mailing to the customer, the bill displaying customer name and address, the premium amount, the term, and the one or more types of coverage;   receive a signal having data indicative of a change in a number of employees;   compare the change in number of employees to a threshold;   if the change exceeds the threshold, provide an output signal indicative of the exceeding of the threshold, and otherwise, not provide such an output signal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the term is a year, and the processor is further adapted to generate monthly bills. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to present on a display at an insurance company computer an alert to recalculate the premium in response to exceeding the threshold. 
     
     
         4 . A computer system for use in connection with administration of employee paid employee benefit insurance products, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory in communication with the processor;   the processor adapted to:   receive input data indicative of a customer identification, a term, one or more types of coverage, a formula for a premium based on payroll period, and numbers of employees and corresponding coverage;   store the received input data in memory;   based on the received input data, generate a bill for printing and mailing to the customer, the bill displaying customer name and address, the premium amount, the term, and the one or more types of coverage;   receive a signal having data indicative of a change in an employee coverage election;   based on the received change, determine an updated premium having a changed amount equal to the increase or decrease in payroll deduction of the employee, store the updated premium, store updates to coverage, and provide an output signal indicative of the updated premium.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the change in an employee coverage election is an addition to coverage, and the change in premium amount is an increase. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the change in an employee coverage election is a deletion of a coverage, and the change in premium amount is a decrease. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein a premium bill amount for a time period is equal to an employer payroll deduction amount for the time period. 
     
     
         8 . A computer system for use in connection with employee benefits furnished via an insurance provider, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory in communication with the processor;   the processor adapted to:   receive input data indicative of a customer identification, a term, one or more types of coverage, a premium amount for the customer for the coverage for the term, and one or more thresholds including at least number of employees;   store the received input data in memory;   based on the received input data, generate a bill to the customer, the bill including customer name and address, the premium amount, the term, and the one or more types of coverage;   receive a signal having data indicative of a change related to coverage;   determining whether the change triggers a change in premium; and   if the data is indicative of a change in premium, providing an output signal indicative of a premium change.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a user-accessible device, the processor being adapted to receive the data from the user-accessible device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further adapted to prompt via the user-accessible device for data relevant to premium calculation. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: a bill printing system having a processor for: receiving an output signal having data indicative of bill information, and for printing and mailing a bill based on the received data. 
     
     
         12 . A computer implemented method for use in connection with administration of employee benefits, comprising:
 receiving input data indicative of a customer identification, a term, one or more types of coverage, a premium amount for the customer for the term and the one or more types of coverage, and one or more thresholds including at least number of employees;   storing the received input data in memory;   based on the received input data, generating a bill to the customer, the bill including customer name and address, the premium amount, the term, and the one or more types of coverage;   receiving a signal having data indicative of a change related to coverage;   determining whether the change triggers a change in premium; and   if the data is indicative of a change in premium, providing an output signal indicative of a premium change.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of receiving data comprises receiving data from a memory. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of receiving data comprises receiving data from a user-accessible device. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
 receiving input data indicative of a customer identification, a term, one or more types of coverage, a premium amount for the customer for the term and the one or more types of coverage, and one or more thresholds including at least number of employees;   storing the received input data in memory;   based on the received input data, generating a bill to the customer, the bill including customer name and address, the premium amount, the term, and the one or more types of coverage;   receiving a signal having data indicative of a change related to coverage;   determining, based on at least one of the thresholds, whether the change triggers a change in premium; and   if the data is indicative of a change in premium, providing an output signal indicative of a premium change.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the premium amount is equal to a payroll deduction amount. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the thresholds further include employee status information.